| Author | Message | ||
  DyvaNaye (westside314) 5-Doyen Username: westside314 Post Number: 383 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 209.212.74.198 |
As I was reading the thread on Phylis Hyman, Iwaited to see if anyone mentioned the part of her cause of death being attached to her mental illness. It is documented in serveral pieces of literature that I have read over the years that she suffered with being Bi-Polar, schzoeffective in personality, which never would have appeared to the surface or to the public if she had a medication regimen that she followed regularly. I understood her death to be the end result of decompensation, and that she had began to utilize 'street pharmacueticals' to level off her mood disorders...a shame with in itself and the end result being her death. The other point I want to make here is that I notice there are many singers/musicians who deal/dealt with mental illness... some being the most brilliant people in light of their music or business manner. I know that Donny Hathaway was also a person who suffered with mental illness...and this is not really to shout anyone out, but I would like to know if there are other celebrities who are on record as being known to suffer with mental illness. Peace DyvaNaye | ||
Rodmann (rodmann) 4-Laureate Username: rodmann Post Number: 152 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 12.223.169.197 |
Dyva, the most tragic story of an entertainer's mental illness that I've ever heard about was that of the super-talented singer Jeannie Reynolds. In 1980 not only did she take her own life but she also took the lives of her two children! Her brother LJ Reynolds of The Dramatics said that she had problems with mental illness. I just started a topic about her last month. There aren't very many details available about Jeannie or her tragic ending. There are a few bits, pieces and rumors on the internet but I'd like to know the truth! Hopefully there will be a book or long article all about her someday. I've always wondered why none of her loved ones could see this coming and why there wasn't anyone around to help her!  I also read somewhere last year that the singer Adam Ant has been legally declared insane in England. | ||
Soulaholic (soulaholic) 4-Laureate Username: soulaholic Post Number: 146 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 68.41.40.105 |
Hey DyvaNaye: It has been documented through out history that some individuals with exceptional talents be it in the field of the arts, science and so on have had a higher degree of internal conflicts than the average public. I guess the intensity of the feelings are greater at the higher and the low end of the spectrum for these individuals. Here is a link to the adam ant story: news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/17 63211.stm - 30k | ||
Phil (phil) 3-Pundit Username: phil Post Number: 54 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 212.129.42.60 |
Talking about mental illness, another great artist comes to mind : James Carr, whose the tragic life is related in "Sweet Soul Music", by Peter Guralnick. | ||
Juicefree20 (juicefree20) 6-Zenith Username: juicefree20 Post Number: 850 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 24.46.184.162 |
Yes Phil, that was definitely a great read. Roosevelt Jamesons' dealings with Mr Carr were quite sad & Roosevelts' loyalty to James was touching. Rodmann, I always wondered the same thing. There are a few brief mentions of Ms Reynolds' tragedy. I always wondered just what happened & if anyone was aware that her problems were as severe as sadly, they proved to be. | ||
Mark Speck (mark_speck) 2-Debutant Username: mark_speck Post Number: 25 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 199.183.107.174 |
In the case of James Carr, he did recover sufficiently and made a couple of records for the revived Goldwax label in the early '90s. Best, Mark | ||
Uptight (uptight) 3-Pundit Username: uptight Post Number: 65 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 24.55.0.68 |
I am not so sure in 1980 or even 1990 the medical field had as much of a handle on treating mental illness as they do now. Probably no one could've seen it coming for the Donny Hathaways and the Phyllis Hymans because people weren't as familiar with the signs or what to do about it. Now there are names for symtoms, better treatment and better medication for certain forms of schizophrenia because they understand mental illnesses better. | ||
DyvaNaye (westside314) 5-Doyen Username: westside314 Post Number: 390 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 209.212.74.216 |
Thanks for these responses folks...and one more peson came to mind for me. James Jamerson. In accordance to the "Shadows" story, he was to have suffered with a form of mental illness or it was indicated as such. (Correct me if Im wrong here...) Not ironically enough, but saddenly so, one that is going 'mis-diagnosed' or even 'undiagnosed' is the legendary Michael Jackson. I think the insiders and folk close to him are aware of his 'illness' and just aint talking. | ||
zaya (isaiah) 2-Debutant Username: isaiah Post Number: 26 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 64.12.116.138 |
DyvaNaye, this is a powerfully compelling thread, and many of the responses are thought-provoking to say the least... For me, a non-professional at diagnosing mental disorder, what I'd like to know is what constitutes mental disorder, or mental illness? Perhaps a professional like Greg C., one of the SDF board members, can enlighten us all on that question... As a layman, I would qualify a lot of things as being crazy, though not entering the realm of mental illness... For example, I think it requires going into a controlled state of craziness to enter into a boxing ring, or a professional football field for 45 or 60 minutes... But having known some professional fighers personally, I can attest that out of the squared circle, these guys were some of the most gentle, caring human beings I've ever met... Not at all to be considered "crazy", or mentally ill... Of course, I never met Michael Tyson... That brings me to Soulaholic's analysis, of which I would concur, that many "imbalanced" types are oft to be found in the fields of the arts, sciences, and entertainment... I think that speaks to the fact that these fields of endeavor offer one the ability to mask/hide their insanity behind their artistic and intellectual brillance... I think, also, under extreme trauma and stress for prolonged periods, human beings would tend to go inward, deep into their sub-consciousness, seeking refuge from the outside world... We know a little something about Marvin Gaye's upbringing, Richard Pryor's upbringing, but little of Donny Hathaway's upbringing... It would be interesting to see if Donny and Phyillis Hyman's upbringing severely impacted on them enough to cause the issues they faced with depression in their adult lives... I am almost certain that therein lies the root of their problems much as it does for Michael Jackson... Peace! Isaiah | ||
Juicefree20 (juicefree20) 6-Zenith Username: juicefree20 Post Number: 886 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 24.46.184.162 |
What's up Isaiah! Brother, I must say that I can't profess to be an expert on the subject. What I find interesting is the "so-called" normal responses that some of our normal people have. For instance, I know of people who would kiss their dog in the mouth, spend $100 on a doggie sweater. Yet, these same people could see somone hungry, sitting on a sidewalk & would refuse to give the poor soul 50 cents to get a cup of coffee. Other "sane" folks feel that this "war" is righteous & that we should wipe out the enemy. Even when info is being presented on a daily basis, that proves this "war" to be wrong, these folks STILL justify it. In a world such a this, what truly constitues sanity, or insanity? What is the measuring rod & standard used??? How arrogant it is when imperfect people, who live in an imperfect world truly believe that they've got it all together. Even worse is the fact that they don't believe that these kinds of things can befall them. As always!! Peace Brother I!!! Juice | ||
DyvaNaye (westside314) 5-Doyen Username: westside314 Post Number: 400 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 209.212.74.216 |
Isaiah - I thank you for your compliment on this thread...'Greg C' and I may have alot in common professionally... I am interested in conversing with him in this thread...Im gonna holler backatcha...Im time pressed at this moment and believe me, this is a one that requires a good explaination to your question. I invite Greg to chime on in...the letters/numbers DSM-IV and V, Im sure is where he will begin... peace, 'Ill be back' DyvaNaye | ||
zaya (isaiah) 2-Debutant Username: isaiah Post Number: 27 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 64.12.116.138 |
"I think, also, under extreme trauma and stress for prolonged periods, human beings would tend to go inward, deep into their sub-consciousness, seeking refuge from the outside world..." Another of the many incomplete(incoherent)statemen ts I've been making in my posts, here, lately... I'm always in a hurry - like I am now... What I wanted to covey in that statement was, folk going deeply into their consciousness under constant extreme duress may seek, find and create the "safe" personal respite and refuge missing in their daily lives... I'm a non-professional at this, but I believe that the "acting out" of this personal world might look like schizophrenia/multiple personality, or the ability to effect multiple personality as actors are oft called upon to do... The very best actors "become" their character, which results in the best acting performances... I am told that Louis Gossett literally became Sargeant Foley during the filming of Officer and A Gentlemen, and his performance would attest to that... Many performances by great actors would attest to that, but not constitute mental illness... Hate to be funny here, but it's when a person does that kind of going into character routinely - where they become another personality all together - that constitutes some form of mental illness... Major imbalances in one's mental state is my layman's definition for what is mental illness... In other words, one need not be completely off the charts mentally to have a mental disorder... Awight, DyvaNaye and Greg C., I'm gonna leave it to you professionals to set the record straight on what constitutes mental illness... And Juice, your examples of sheer lunacy were hilarious... Odd how I was thinking some of the same thoughts as I read this thread... That is why I sincerely want to know what is the professional definition of mental illness... I, for example, have never quite understood why a Gary Graham or J.W. Gacy were not diagnosed as crimminally insane... I don't get it how a guy like Gravano is not diagnosed as crimminally insane... I don't understand how men can kill and cut up human bodies in their bathtubs, drain the body, go bury it, and have dinner after working up a hearty appetite... Somebody tell me, as Marvin would say, What Is Going On??? Peace! Isaiah | ||
Juicefree20 (juicefree20) 6-Zenith Username: juicefree20 Post Number: 890 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 24.46.184.162 |
Isaiah & all! Let me ask you this. Have you ever heard someone who talked so "crazy" that it scared you because suddenly, they started making perfectly good sense??? Maybe it's just me, but take the folks for PETA for example. Now, I'm not fond of any of our Creators creatures suffering needlessly. However, I find it strange for these folks to be as vehement about animal rights, meanwhile, I've never heard any of them to speak out regarding the suffering of the dominant animal on planet earth: MAN. Think about it. There are still good salt of the earth people who have a higher regard for animals, than of humans. They'd stop to pick up a racoon off of the road & pass 10 hungry people & not even think twice. I think that it's damn hard to live in a world like this, under conditions like this & brag about being normal. Is "normalcy" by todays' standards truly something to aspire to? Is it "normal" to be so insensitized to the pain & suffering of others? Is it "normal" to feel that others are so inferior to yourself, that it becomes perfectly fine to run roughshod over them, just because you can? Is it "normal" to be so wrapped up in the lives of entertainers, that some people are willing to fight or berate others that don't share their lofty opinions? Is it "normal" to want to be another individual so badly, that you actually live vicariously through them? Isaiah, I find that insanity applies when the law chooses to apply the terminology & to whom they choose to deem to be such. I mean when someone asks a person to eat them, I don't think that they intend it to be taken THAT literally  Those puppies were insane. If they don't qualify, I don't know who does. Charles Manson never ate his victims & he's definitely insane. It takes a insane person to think that his neighbors are so good, that he decides to eat them. What kind of human being could actually cut up & eat another human being? That's an answer that I don't ever want to understand. |
